Two top technology companies, Google and Facebook, have reacted to President Trump’s executive order on immigration.
On Friday, President Trump made good his promise to make it harder for people from certain countries to visit America. The executive order “Protecting The Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into The United States“ which takes place with immediate effect, includes the immediate suspension of immigration from countries with ties to terror, including Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, Iran and Libya, for a time period of 90 days. It also calls for the complete suspension of refugees for an indefinite period.
Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, immediately posted his remarks on his Facebook page. He said he was concerned about the impact of the recent executive orders by the President.
He added, “We need to keep this country safe, but we should do that by focusing on people who actually pose a threat. Expanding the focus of law enforcement beyond people who are real threats would make all Americans less safe by diverting resources, while millions of undocumented folks who don’t pose a threat will live in fear of deportation.”
Another technology giant, Google, has recalled travelling staff members to the US.
According to its CEO, Sundar Pichai in a memo obtained by Bloomberg News to employees Friday,
“It’s painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues. “We’ve always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so.”
Pichai said that more than 100 company staff are affected by the order.
Some Google employees were traveling abroad and were trying to get back to the U.S. before the order took effect. The company asked them to reach out to Google’s security, travel, and immigration teams for assistance, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The New York Daily News reported that the Department of Homeland Security issued a directive on Friday afternoon ordering the Customs and Border Control agency to enforce the executive order. The paper also added that late Friday, some green card and visa holders were already being blocked from boarding flights to the U.S.
